Pistol type flashlight having separable casing parts and trigger operated switch



April 22, 1952 R. E. VAN vLlET Erm. 2,593,942 y FLASHLIGHT HAVING SEPARABLE CASING AND TRIGGER OPERATED SWITCH PlsToL TYPE PARTS Filed sept. 16, 195o IN V EN TOR.

T... am y n@ M M M WN n ba/ y E w Patented Apr. 22, 1952 tlttiijti iiUUl PISTOL TYPE FLASHLIGHT HAVING SEPA- RABLE CASING PARTS AND TRIGGER OP- ERATED SWITCH Robert E. Van Vliet and Clarence A. Lesoine, Marshalls Creek, Pa.

Application September 16, 1950, Serial No. 185,192

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a pistol grip flashlight or flashlight gun.

It is an object `of the present invention to provide a piston grip flashlight or flashlight gun wherein the barrel which contains the dry cells may be of streamlined shape and which is adapted to contain dry cells of different sizes in order that the streamlined shape can be confined to a minimum size for a small and large dry cell arrangement.

It is another object of the invention to provide an electric flashlight wherein the casing parts are longitudinally separable from each other and wherein the handle forming a pistol grip is connected to the under part and can serve to support the dry cells while the upper part is removed and wherein the parts are held in their assembled state by the transparent internally threaded lens cup which surrounds threaded portions of the separable parts and at the same time serves as a lens and coupling means for the securement of the reflector within the parts and wherein by a simple internally threaded cap screw threaded to the rear end of the parts which is easy to remove, the dry cells and internal parts of the flashlight can be made readily accessible.

It is another object of the invention to provide a simple contact and trigger arrangement for a pistol grip flashlight wherein upon the pull of the trigger element, contacts are brought together and wherein there is provided a weighted holding lever which can engage with the projection of the trigger element automatically by pulling the trigger element and simply leaning the flashlight toward one side and wherein by a simple pull of the trigger element the same weighted lever can be released automatically by pulling slightly on the trigger element and leaning the flashlight toward the opposite side.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a pistol grip flashlight or flashlight gun which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, compact, of pleasing appearance, easy to assemble and disassemble, sturdy and rugged and efficient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the pistol grip flashlight embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the flashlight taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View showing the trigger ele-ment latched in its pulled position.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the ashlight with the parts released from the opposite ends thereof and the top part lifted from the bottom part.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the top and bottom parts assembled upon one another and as viewed generally on line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the figures, I0 and II represent respectively bottom and top parts separable from each other and hollow to house dry cells I2 and I3. These parts are generally of streamlined shape and the use of a smaller dry cell I3 makes possible a greater rear taper of the parts. Extending longitudinally along the bottom part is an electric contact strip I4 having an end I5 downwardly bent through an opening I6 in the bottom part. A handle or grip portion I'I depends from the bottom part below the opening I6 ,and has a depending slot portion I8 in which is pivoted a trigger element I9 upon a pivot pin 2| extending transversely through the handle portion II and into the slot I8 thereof. The upper end of the trigger element I9 has a horizontally extending projection 22 which engages the depending end I5 of the contact strip I4. The forward edge of the trigger element is recessed, as indicated at 23, to accommodate the fingers. The slot I8 has a raised projection 24 in the forward part which serves as an abutment for a projection 25 that de pends from the trigger element whereby to limit the outward pivotal movement of the trigger element. The depending portion of the contact strip I4 provides the spring action to normally maintain the trigger element extended outwardly and forwardly from the slot I8.

Also laying in the bottom part is a second contact strip 26 having a portion 21 adapted to be engaged by the depending portion I5. This contact strip is engaged by small dry cell I3.

The central terminal of dry cell I3, as indicated at 29, engages with dry cell I2 and a socket member 3| engages with central terminal 32 of the dry cell I2 when its reflector portion on the forward end thereof, as indicated at 33. rests upon the threaded ends of bottom and top parts I0 and II. These parts have reduced threaded portions 34 and 35 respectively. An

internally threaded cup-shaped lens member of transparent plastic, and as indicated at 36, is threaded over the threaded portions 34 and 35 of the parts and holds these parts, as well as Athe socket member 3|, and dry cells I3 and l2 in place at the forward end of the assembly.

The rear ends of the parts I and have reduced threaded portions 3'! and 38 respectively and an internally threaded cap 39 is extended over these vthreaded portions to hold the parts together at the rear end of the assembly. It will thus be apparent by a simple coupling and de-coupling of the cup-shaped members 36 and 39, the top part can be readily removed from the bottom part I0 so that dry cells can be replaced or a different lamp bulb 4| in the socket member 3| can be replaced and iinally the parts easily assembled and connected together by the same members 36 and 39.

In order that the light can be held in its on position without a constant pull on the trigger, a weighted latch element 42 is pivoted upon a vertical and slightly inclined pivot pin 43. As viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that this latch lever 42 is slightly inclined to a horizontal. The latch 42 has a weighted portion 44 thereon. Its forward end will be brought under the projection 22 as the weight portion 48 is pivoted to the right, as viewed in Fig. 4. With the trigger element I9 pulled rearwardly and the projection 22 lifted, the latch 42 will be pivoted to the right by a, simple tilting movement of the flashlight to the right as held in the right hand. The weighted portion 44 will bring its forward end against wall 45 of a slot containing the lever 42. Its forward end will automatically be positioned under the projection. By tilting the ashlight to the left and pulling the trigger element I9 at the same time, as when held in the right hand, the weighted end portion 44 will cause the lever to pivot away from the projection 22 of the trigger element and engage with wall 46 of the slot in which the latch lever 42 is pivoted. By having the lever 42 pivoted upon a slightly 01T the vertical axis, the pivotal movement of the lever 42 can be effected without having to point the nose of the ilashlight either downwardly or upwardly. It will accordingly be seen that this weighted lever 42 is operated by pulling the trigger element and by a simple tilting movement of the flashlight either to one side or the other.

The parts |0 and may have respectively pins and openings 52 for holding the parts against lateral displacement with one another while they are being assembled and while the members 36 and 39 are applied. These parts l0 and may have respectively decorative fins Il and 54 to give it a fanciful appearance as well as some reinforcement.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A ilashlight gun comprising separable bot-- tom and top parts, said parts being hollowed and having respectively upon the opposite ends of the same reduced threaded portions, dry cell means lying within the parts, a socket member connected to the dry cell means and having a lamp bulb therein, internally threaded members engaging the reduced threaded portions of the bottom and top parts whereby to hold the same in coupled relationship, electric circuit means having separable contacts and connected between the socket member and the dry cell means, a trigger element pivotally connected to the bot-- tom part and operable upon the separable contacts to unite them, handle means connected to the bottom part and coniining said trigger element, said trigger element having a rearwardly extending projection at its upper end engageable with said separable contacts of the electric circuit means, said separable contacts being of spring material and normally urging the trigger element downwardly and outwardly, a weighted latch lever pivotally mounted in the handle portion and extending outwardly thereof to be accessible to the thumb of the hand and swingable under the weight thereof either to the right or left, depending upon the manner in which the gun is tilted when being held in the hand, said latch lever being movable under the projection on the trigger element as the flashlight is tilted to the right and to release from the projection on the trigger element as the trigger element is depressed and the flashlight tilted to the left, said depending handle grip portion having a slot in which the lever may operate and said slot having stop wall faces for limiting the pivotal movement of the lever upon the pivot pin.

2. A ilashlight gun as dened in claim 1, said trigger element having a depending projection on its lower end, said grip portion having an abutment extending upwardly and engageable by the projection on the trigger element to limit the outward pivotal movement of the trigger element.

ROBERT E. VAN VLIET. CLARENCE A. LESOINE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,835,233 Lyhne Dec. 8, 1931 2,209,702 Meginnis July 30, 1940 2,399,921 Golob et al. May 7, 1946 

